A process of glossing an image formed by an electrophotographic image-forming method includes those utilizing a cooling and separating belt.
Specifically, the process utilizes a fixing device or a glossing device equipped with an endless cooling and separating belt, a pressure roller, and a cooling mechanism. In the fixing device or glossing device, the endless cooling and separating belt has a smooth face and is wound around a heating roller and a supporting roller so that the smooth face becomes an outer peripheral surface. The pressure roller is disposed to press the cooling and separating belt onto the heating roller, thereby forming a nip portion between the cooling and separating belt and the pressure roller. The cooling mechanism is disposed at the downstream of the heating roller in the traveling direction of the cooling and separating belt. In the process of utilizing the device, a toner layer formed on an image support such as paper is heated and then cooled while the toner layer is in close contact with the smooth face of the cooling and separating belt. Finally, the image support is separated from the cooling and separating belt. (See, for example, Patent Literatures 1 to 4.)
A cooling and separating belt used in such a process is required to have a low surface energy so that a foreign substance is prevented from adhering to the front surface of the cooling and separating belt when the image support is separated. Further, the cooling and separating belt is required to have wear resistance to stresses due to friction and separation, and a long lifetime.